Vending of refrigerated items has been practiced for years in the art. Refrigerated can and bottle vendors are a well known example. A variety of configurations and methodologies have been used. Most such machines use conventional refrigeration methods and components to attempt to maintain mandated temperatures for certain food items. A conventional refrigeration unit comprises a condensing unit, evaporator, and fan to remove heat from inside the refrigerated space and circulate cooled air inside it.
Certain vendible products need refrigeration. A few examples are sandwiches, salads, and yogurt. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has laws and regulations regarding temperatures for perishable foods in vending machines (see FDA published regulations 2005 Food Code). However, not all perishable, vendible foods need the same temperature. Cold sandwiches and salads require refrigeration (e.g. in the range 33° F.-42° F.). Frozen items, such as ice cream, frozen burritos, and the like, require significantly cooler temperatures (e.g. usually at least 0° F. or colder) than cold sandwiches and salads. Because of these different requirements, one vending machine is normally used to vend frozen items and a second, separate machine is used to vend non-frozen but cold products like cold sandwiches. If also desired, a third machine would be used to dispense non-refrigerated items (e.g. potato chips, candy bars, gum, and other snacks or non-food or non-perishable items).
NAMA (National Automatic Merchandising Association standards require temperatures for refrigerated vending machines to be maintained within relatively accurate ranges. Therefore, it is not trivial to design a machine to do so. Environmental conditions at or around the machine can change drastically. Also, if the owner/operator opens the machine for maintenance or restocking, heat would normally enter the machine. Moreover, if one refrigeration unit is to be used for multiple temperature zones, this further complicates the issues. There are a number of factors, some antagonistic with each other, that may affect the ability to maintain temperature within the required range. Still further, another factor in many vending machines which complicates matters is the fact they require a drop zone from the top to the bottom in the machine. Therefore, separate temperature zones can not merely be encased and separated from one another, as is done with freezer and refrigerated sections of a household refrigerator.
However, this presents a number of issues. Cost is one. Each machine must have its own cabinet and associated structure, and, if refrigerated, a refrigeration unit. This tends to increase the number and cost of components. Floor space is another. Multiple machines normally require more floor space. Many times it is inefficient or costly use of space. Sometimes there is not room for multiple machines and therefore the customer is not allowed a fuller array of choices of vendible products. Efficient and economical use of space in the vending machine is another. Vending machines are usually designed to maximize profit, or at least maximize the number of vendible products that can fit into the machine to minimize labor costs of re-filling the machine. Space is a premium in vending machines. Normally it is desirable to have maximum space available for stocking the machine so that labor costs are reduced in restocking. Separation of the internal space of a vending machine into different temperature zones, and separate components to maintain the different temperatures, uses up internal space that otherwise might be used for products. Additionally, the margins or profit involved with vending machines are not consistent with having expensive machines with complicated components and costly manufacturing and assembly. Also, the very essence of vending machines is that they are automated. It is desirable that they essentially be left alone and work without constant supervision or checking. It is difficult to justify using interior space for insulation and equipment for multiple temperature zones which would sacrifice space for vendible products.
Despite these hurdles, a need in the art has been identified for a vending machine that can be configured for automated vending of perishables, and in particular, perishables requiring different refrigeration temperatures. A further need has been identified for a machine that can provide a variety of temperature zones. A further need has been identified for a machine which is efficient and economical. A still further need has been identified for a machine that can selectively be configured for one or more temperature zones without extensive or expensive manufacturing modifications.
An example of the application of such a machine would be a business or vending location without substantial floor space for multiple vending machines. A further example would be for a location that does not have a high volume of vending transactions but desires multiple food or product choices.